How long

[Novengliae2]

Hello fellow debauchees!


I bet from the subject title, you thought I was going to ask 'how long...do you last?' Well, how long DO you last? No, I was NOT going ask how long is your (preferred) equipment. That's just dirty.

Actually, what I'm equally interested in is how long does it take to write a story in general?


What's your process?
Do you write one at a time?
Do you write a story in one sitting?

How many are plot-driven writers, where you have the whole story mapped out before you start and the characters are forced to adhere to the plot, and how many are more character-based, where you let the story unfold based on the characters, letting a rough plot outline bend around them? Or a blend of these?

Thanks,
Novengliae2


https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=3944154&page=submissions

 

[NotWise]

What's your process?
Do you write one at a time?
Do you write a story in one sitting?

My process? I have an idea -- often something to challenge myself -- then I start writing. If I get into a complicated stretch then I might take the time to list the things that need to happen to get through the stretch.

One at a time? No. I try to, but many of my stories have "stuck" at some point. I'll move on for a while rather than banging my head on the wall to get the story unstuck. Now I have several stories in various states of completion.

In one sitting? You've got to be kidding. I don't even do the research for a story in one sitting. The story I'm working on now has been underway since September. I think some of my shorter stories -- especially the early ones -- were mostly written in one sitting. But mostly isn't all.

As far as plot-driven vs character-driven, my stories are mostly plot-driven, but I'll flex when a character inspires it.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

Actually, what I'm equally interested in is how long does it take to write a story in general?

What's your process?
Do you write one at a time?
Do you write a story in one sitting?

First off, howdy there! FYI, on the website up at the upper left, there's a "User CP" - you can use that to set a signature to your messages, among other things.

Writing a story is a variable process. Some stories take me minutes to crank out, but I've one epic, unpublished piece I'm nowhere near done yet that I've been working on for decades at different levels of intensity.

Process? WRITE! Sit down, get the laptop comfy, and crank away at that keyboard.

Then reread - where'd I screw up? (Note, there's no question if I did - just where)

Edit.

re-reread.

Re-edit.

Repeat until the detected error rate drops to a low enough level.

Take a deep breath.

Publish that sucker.

How many do I write at once? I've literally got scores of pieces in progress right now, somewhat less than a hundred. Many get a serious stab (a page to ten pages, perhaps) to get them started, often with a second file full of notes/ideas/concepts as to where the story's going to go. They often then sit for a while before I return to extend, polish, curse, and work on them.

While I have written stories in a single setting, I have learned the hard way never, ever to publish something until I've reread and edited it repeatedly. My head works faster than my fingers, even tho' I type like a bat outta hell.

 

[Maeven_quinn]

Usually I start with log lines. After that, I flesh out some personality and physical traits of the characters.

After that, I outline the work in scrivener and write.

This is followed by the eternal proofread. That's the worst part.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

Usually I start with log lines. -snip-

What are log lines, in this context? Hadn't heard that phrase used in this way.

 

[KeithD]

I usually write one at a time. Lately, I've had two or three in process at a time. I also try to finish the first draft the same day. Lately, it's been three days (but then lately I've had more than one going at a time). If I have nothing else to do that day, I can knock out 9,000 words in a day. My annual goal is half a million published words, and I've been meeting that for several years.

 

[SamScribble]

My short short stories usually start with a plot. The longer ones begin with the characters - who then tend to create the plot as they go along.

I often have a couple of stories on the go at any one time.

And, no, I don't write a story in a single sitting. It's not unusual for a story to take me a week or more.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

Actually, what I'm equally interested in is how long does it take to write a story in general?


What's your process?
Do you write one at a time?
Do you write a story in one sitting?

How many are plot-driven writers, where you have the whole story mapped out before you start and the characters are forced to adhere to the plot, and how many are more character-based, where you let the story unfold based on the characters, letting a rough plot outline bend around them? Or a blend of these?



https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=3944154&page=submissions

I create a universe anbd let my characters play in it. Right now I have 5 or 6 stories in various stages. I have an overall arc for the original story but have spun off side stories. My characters often have a mind of their own.

 

[vanmyers86]

I have published nine stories on this site. One took three days. One took three years before it came together in a way that satisfied me. Most fall somewhere in between, generally taking around a week or so for the first draft. Revisions take a few days - I need to put it down for at least a couple of days before I can go back in and do a careful editing job.

I have to work full time, so I have only evenings and weekends to work on my own stories.

I have never managed to write more than about 3,000-4,000 words in one sitting.

I find if I plot something in too much detail beforehand, it nearly always peters out. So I have an end point in mind when I start, but I discover the path along with the characters.

Welcome to Lit!

 

[Voboy]

Idea.

I sketch out a little plot information, just so I won't forget what I just thought of.

Some ideas demand to be written right away; these take a week, perhaps. Most of my stories come in around 20-25k words. Most stories marinate a bit, and take a bit longer.

Few stories get formally outlined. The characters tell me what they want to do, mostly.

SF stories can take many months, off and on.

I write it, editing as I go.

I wait about 12-24 hours, then read it through for continuity.

Then I click SUBMIT. I'm not one for belaboring the postproduction process. Each story gets written, some parts of it get rewritten on the spot, and then the whole thing gets read. Once.

My shortest story took about 23 hours, from initial concept to SUBMIT, but that was an outlier.

There's no "set" process. We all do it differently, and since all the stories here are a labor of love, that's as it should be. As long as it's enjoyable.

Welcome.

 

[Hypoxia]

Writing fiction, which I may again when the meds wear off, I try tricks.

• Start with an ending or setup; work from one to the other.
• Embellish an old journal so events seem interesting.
• Follow a speculation: WHAT IF someone I think I know had or hadn't died or lived, gone good or bad, left or stayed, etc.
• Steal an idea and transform it, maybe with a devilish twist.
• Write a song; expand it into a story.

How long does it take? Somewhere between an hour and ten years. How many stories at a time? Usually only one but others may lurk unfinished. I try to finish entire arcs before submitting chapters to avoid clumsy fuckups.

 

[Kojak01]

What's your process?
Do you write one at a time?
Do you write a story in one sitting?
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=3944154&page=submissions

1. Usually, I read or see something that sets its hooks in my brain. This can be another story here on LE or a meme or something in real life. Sometimes it's the beginning of the story, sometimes something in the middle and sometimes the ending. Then I think about them while falling asleep or when I'm waiting somewhere until I have the story more or less complete. Then I start writing.

2. Currently, I have nine stories in different stages of completion.

3. My previous reply answers that I don't write a story in one sitting. I have one story I started in 2017 and are not yet ready for publishing while other were finished (including editing) in less than a month.

 

[SimonDoom]

Anywhere from one day to several years. There is no average. I'm working on a story for the Valentine's Day contest that's been cooking for about three years.

Nearly all my stories are concept-/plot-based. I often write an outline before I write the story, and even when I don't write one I have a pretty good idea when I start where the story will end up. I don't ever write stories by coming up with a character and asking myself "Let's see what's going to happen to him/her."

I'm always writing several stories at one time. I come up with new ideas constantly and easily get distracted with the Shiny New Thing. But since I don't make a living doing this I have no particular hard and fast publication goals, so that's fine with me.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I get an idea and start writing. If I get a thousand words in and it's not firing on all cylinders, I'll stop - that's very rare for me - and I'll usually delete the file. I'm ruthless with my dead starts. I don't keep much.

I've also disciplined myself to have only one major project and one smaller side project at any one time. Sometimes the side project gets bigger than expected, and ends up almost as long, but I always finish the main thing eventually.

Interestingly (for me, anyway), my Songs of Seduction - Fire and Ice (my angel and astronaut story) was a side project whilst writing The Dark Chronicles (my Arthurian novel), and my recent meta-Maddy story (The Hyacinth House) was a side project whilst writing the Part Two of Songs of Seduction. I'm always in it for the long haul.